Software may be distributed as one or more executable files or as a library, i.e., a collection of files that may be compiled into executable code. Frequently, software developers incorporate one or more software libraries into software programs that are distributed in the form of one or more executable files. In other instances, software developers may distribute software in the form of object code within one or more libraries, and users of the software libraries may generate the executable files.
Software piracy represents a significant economic loss for the producers of software products. Accordingly, software licensing enforcement schemes receive continued attention in the software industry. To date, most software licensing schemes operate according to a model that requires registration and/or the entry of a code, and denies access to users incapable of providing accurate information. Moreover, software licensing for libraries has not been implemented yet to work at run time: to the present date library licensing only occurs either at installation time or when creating executable files. It is desirable to be able to check software library licensing only when the linked application is executed.
In some instances, a more flexible approach to software licensing management is desirable.